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IJERPH
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Advancing Health Equity for Sexual and Gender Minority Populations
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Advancing Health Equity for Sexual and Gender Minority Populations

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 22 September 2024 | Viewed by 5460

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Eileen Yuk-Ha Tsang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 852, China
Interests: gender and sexuality; HIV; work and labor; China; sociology of sex work

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sexual and gender minorities (SGM) face unique and challenging inequities across a breadth of experiences and issues. Sexual and Gender Minorities denote lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and other populations whose sexual orientation and/or gender identity, sexual orientation, and reproductive development are considered outside cultural, societal, or physiological norms. They experience bias, discrimination, and job insecurity, which affects everything from professional occupational success to personal relationships. These inequities must be addressed through the provision of safe and inclusive environments, improved identification of disparities, and the creation of a pipeline of equity-focused strategies for changes in society. It is crucial to identify and define these disparities, as well as to investigate their underlying causes and mitigate their impact.

 Potential topics include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Achieving health equity: terminology, demographics, stigmas, and disparities.
  • Creating a welcoming and inclusive environment.
  • Trauma-informed care.
  • Primary care and preventative healthcare of LGBTQI+ patients.
  • LGBTQI+ youth and adolescents.
  • LGBTQI+ older adults.
  • Intimate partner violence for LGBTQI+.
  • HIV/STI treatment and prevention for LGBTQI+ populations.
  • Collecting sexual orientation and gender identity data.

Dr. Eileen Yuk-Ha Tsang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 480 KiB  
Article
“Empowerment for Us by Us (E4UBU)”: Developing a Model of Empowerment Using Feminist Participatory Methods with LBQT+ Persons Assigned Female at Birth in Western Kenya
by Heather M. Tucker, Rebecca Odhiambo, Laura Jadwin-Cakmak, Anita Mbanda, Ashley Lacombe-Duncan, Caroline Rucah, Ini-Abasi Ubong, Cynthia Akoth Ouko, Wilson Odero and Gary W. Harper
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(7), 948; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21070948 - 19 Jul 2024
Viewed by 673
Abstract
Lesbian, bisexual, queer, trans and other gender diverse persons assigned female at birth (heretofore referred to as “LBQT+ persons”) in Western Kenya experience intersectional oppression and stigma. This stigma can manifest in acts of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and sexual and gender [...] Read more.
Lesbian, bisexual, queer, trans and other gender diverse persons assigned female at birth (heretofore referred to as “LBQT+ persons”) in Western Kenya experience intersectional oppression and stigma. This stigma can manifest in acts of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and sexual and gender minority (SGM)-based violence, as well as various forms of discrimination—all of which have been linked to disproportionately higher levels of negative health outcomes for this group. Despite these challenges, many LBQT+ persons have been able to gain personal and collective power and thrive in this oppressive environment. The Empowerment for Us by Us (E4UBU) project is a mixed methods feminist participatory research study focused on exploring how LBQT+ persons conceptualize and define empowerment for themselves, and to understand their perspectives on how feelings of power and powerlessness influence their physical and mental health. This paper focuses on data from the first phase of the study, in which qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 40 LBQT+ persons (ages 19 to 50) from Kisumu and Homa Bay in Western Kenya. A participatory interpretive phenomenological analysis was conducted to understand the lived experiences of LBQT+ persons as they navigate intersectional oppression and its influence on their experiences of empowerment and subsequent health outcomes. Findings from this analysis were presented to two different focus groups composed of participants who had participated in the in-depth interviews to gather their insights on the interpretations of the interviews as a form of member checking. Findings revealed that “empowerment” was not experienced and viewed by LBQT+ persons as a monolithic construct, but rather a process through which LBQT+ persons are able to transform negative forces of intersectional oppression and powerlessness into experiences of power and subsequent individual and collective action and impact—all leading to improved mental health and well-being. This process is facilitated at several junctures by participatory seeking and attainment of community-appropriate resources at multiple socio-ecological levels that, when accessed with sufficient intensity, frequency, and duration, enhance one’s journey through the process of empowerment. These facilitation junctures are viewed as likely points of focus for public health intervention. Analysis also revealed that the process of empowerment is dependent on the context within which the process is occurring, the specific issues being faced, and the population of focus. Recommendations for how this model can be used for future research and practice to improve the lives of LBQT+ persons in Kenya are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Health Equity for Sexual and Gender Minority Populations)
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13 pages, 539 KiB  
Article
Distress as a Function of Social Exclusion and Assertiveness among Homosexual/Bisexual People
by Chau-kiu Cheung and Eileen Yuk-ha Tsang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(5), 633; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21050633 - 16 May 2024
Viewed by 906
Abstract
Homosexual (lesbian or gay) and bisexual (i.e., LGB) people tend to suffer from social exclusion and thus distress. To prevent or relieve distress, the people’s assertiveness about justice and rights is an advocated means, but its effectiveness is uncertain, considering possible conflict with [...] Read more.
Homosexual (lesbian or gay) and bisexual (i.e., LGB) people tend to suffer from social exclusion and thus distress. To prevent or relieve distress, the people’s assertiveness about justice and rights is an advocated means, but its effectiveness is uncertain, considering possible conflict with social exclusion. To clarify the effectiveness, this study analyzed data collected from 189 Chinese LGB adults in Hong Kong, which is a special administrative region of China generally Westernized and liberal to sexual orientation. Controlling for prior distress reported, the analysis showed that distress was lower when assertiveness was higher or social exclusion experienced was lower. However, distress was higher when both assertiveness and social exclusion experienced were higher. The higher distress implies a conflict between assertiveness and social exclusion to raise distress. It also implies the need to avoid conflict when promoting assertiveness and eliminating social exclusion to prevent distress in LGB people. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Health Equity for Sexual and Gender Minority Populations)
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13 pages, 472 KiB  
Article
Internalized Sexual Stigma and Mental Health Outcomes for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Asian Americans: The Moderating Role of Guilt and Shame
by Kian Jin Tan and Joel R. Anderson
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(4), 384; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21040384 - 22 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1823
Abstract
The literature unequivocally demonstrates that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals experience disproportionate mental health and social wellbeing impacts. Here, we respond to recent calls for research in the field of sexual minority health to better understand why various overlapping and intersecting identities [...] Read more.
The literature unequivocally demonstrates that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals experience disproportionate mental health and social wellbeing impacts. Here, we respond to recent calls for research in the field of sexual minority health to better understand why various overlapping and intersecting identities can further drive health disparities. In this paper, we focus on the specific intersections of ethnicity and sexuality for Asian LGB individuals and the role of internalized stigma in driving poorer mental health outcomes for this group. We recruited 148 LGB Asian participants residing in the United States (Mage = 22.82 years, SD = 4.88) to participate in our online cross-sectional survey in which we collected data on their internalized stigma, levels of guilt and shame about their sexuality, and measures of depression, anxiety, and distress. Contrary to our predictions, there were no bivariate relationships between internalized sexual stigma and any of the mental health outcomes. However, a parallel mediation analysis revealed that guilt, but not shame, mediates the relationship between internalized sexual stigma and all mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, and stress) for LGB Asian American individuals. This research highlights the important of exploring additional variables that may exacerbate of protect against poor mental health for individuals with multiple intersecting identities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Health Equity for Sexual and Gender Minority Populations)
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15 pages, 381 KiB  
Article
Correlates of Attitudes toward Sexual Minorities among Vietnamese Social Work Practitioners
by Trang Mai Le, Nilan Yu and Stephanie Webb
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4241; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054241 - 27 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1314
Abstract
This article examines the correlates of Vietnamese social work practitioners’ attitudes toward individuals who identify as lesbian or gay. This study, among the very few studies on the general topic in non-Western contexts and the first of its kind in Vietnam, investigates correlates [...] Read more.
This article examines the correlates of Vietnamese social work practitioners’ attitudes toward individuals who identify as lesbian or gay. This study, among the very few studies on the general topic in non-Western contexts and the first of its kind in Vietnam, investigates correlates of attitudes toward sexual minorities that are known in the literature. The data are drawn from a survey of 292 Vietnamese social work practitioners. The findings suggest that the attitudes of Vietnamese social work practitioners are associated with gender, educational attainment, level of social work education, practice experience, practice sector, professional contact with sexual minority clients, personal contact with sexual minorities, exposure to content on sexual minorities in social work courses and professional development activities, and independent learning activities about sexual minorities but not with age, religious affiliation, and marital status. Implications for social work education and practice are considered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Health Equity for Sexual and Gender Minority Populations)
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